The second story red box sits on top of a steel frame and acts like an observatory with sweeping views across the city. The red box looks directly at the famous Griffith Observatory which sits on a tall hill on the other side of the city. The red box of the second story is balanced on a steel frame which cantilevers over the hill preserving the garden and minimizing the foundation. The steel frame also supports the trellis to carry the mobile sun screens that shade the first floor decks.

West Facade Before

West Facade After

Sustainable Features

1. Passive Cooling temperature control is maintained by utilizing mobile shade screens, and interior courtyard which function as a thermal chimney, deep set opening on the second floor which shade the glazing, ventilation breezeways carved through the house, and exterior living spaces which use decks to extend the living space into the outdoors. The house encourages outdoor living to allow the owners to take advantage of Southern California’s mild climate.

Master Bedroom

2. Mobile Sun Screens
The mobile sun screens are constructed of aluminum and sustainably harvested wood. These simple slatted wood panels roll across the facade on metal track to control the amount of light and heat gain into the house. The mobile panels also allow the front deck to be enclosed for privacy while allowing light and air to pass freely, creating a retractable facade.

Living Room Before

Living Room After

3.Interior pocket courtyard
A pocket courtyard garden filled with giant Oldhami bamboo is carved out of the center of the house. Sliding glass doors open for natural cooling of the interior by turning the vertical shaft into a solar chimney which allows warm air to escape. The warm air rises up and the natural light bounces down. The bamboo acts as a natural air scrubber, giving off clean air in exchange.

Kitchen before

Kitchen after

4. Passive Daylighting The wood ceiling floats over the walls creating interior clerestory windows that allow the rooms to borrow light from each other as the sun passes over the house. This effect, known as “daylighting’ dramatically lowers the need for artificial light and consequently energy consumption.

Bathroom before

Bathroom after 1

5. Sustainably harvested Wood: Mageris hard wood is used for all the and railings on first and second level

Second level deck

6. Recycled Lumber: The interior doors are hand crafted from thick strips of recycled lumber from the old ceiling.

Roof deck

7. Low v.o.c. paint and stain.

Built-in shelving

8. Native and Drought tolerant landscaping. The house is surrounded by a mix of Mexican bamboo that creates a walls of privacy and shade, and native, drought tolerant plants with gravel paths with river rock. A small fountain fed by captured rain water cools the patio.